Thumbs up to Gus Dur

Thumbs up to Gus Dur

From Bisnis Indonesia

I am not a member of the National Awakening Party (PKB), which President Abdurrahman Wahid helped found prior to his assuming the presidency, but I have been moved to give a thumbs up to the President for his magnanimity in taking denouncement prompted by a desire to topple him rather than spurred by a wish to benefit the people and the nation.

The demand that the President step down on the grounds that he has failed to revive the economy and that under his presidency the country is threatened with disintegration, is illogical because of the following considerations: 1. Can the future president guarantee that the country's economic growth will be faster? If he or she can, the people need to be told about the agenda that the new president will implement and the items in this agenda that the present government are yet to act upon. 2. The president can perform his tasks effectively if there is close cooperation with the judicial and legislative institutions. Constructive criticism must of course be given to the president and his staffers.

Unfortunately, since 2000 until today the President and the House of Representatives are at loggerheads. Very clearly the House of People's Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly are conspiring to topple the President by playing up the money scandals related to Bulog and aid from the sultan of Brunei Darussalam which allegedly involved the President. In this respect, it must first be established beyond any doubt that the President is really involved.

All members of society with secondary schooling and further education understand that the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism and law enforcement is a very difficult process which could take a decade to achieve. The reason? Corruption, collusion and nepotism and mafia-like practices in the courts of law have a history of no less than 32 years.

KATHLEEN H. HORMAN

Jakarta